Making their returns to Chicago, former Red Stars forwards Savannah McCaskill and Yuki Nagasato both scored Saturday in a historic Racing Louisville FC rout.
A 3-0 victory saw Racing score its first away goal, first goal in an opening half and register its first victory away from Lynn Family Stadium — all key steps for the NWSL expansion club.
To boot, English forward Ebony Salmon followed up her game winner last weekend with another this time out, striking first with a flicked-in, 38th-minute strike before the floodgates opened.
Saturday’s result boosted Racing, which improved to 3-1-3, to a top-six spot on the NWSL table — a playoff position at the end of the 24-game season. It also ended a congested stretch in the schedule for Racing, which rotated much of its lineup in a midweek defeat to position well for three points here.
“It’s been a long week… and to see the girls do what they did on the back of a lot of rotation, it makes us incredibly proud in terms of the direction that they’re going and the commitment they have to establishing our club,” said head coach Christy Holly.
Weather delayed kickoff at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Ill., by more than two hours. A break in the rain was followed by a downpour starting in the 21st minute that Racing used to its advantage.
The sequence leading to Salmon’s goal started with midfielder Lauren Milliet, working up the right side, finding Cece Kizer in the box. She played over to Salmon, and Red Stars keeper Alyssa Naeher slipped a bit in conceding the chance.
“Obviously the weather wasn’t ideal for us and it wasn’t the best conditions,” Salmon said, “but we knew that we just had to make the most of it, and I think we did that today and got three goals — a great performance and a great win.”
A 55th-minute red card on Danielle Colaprico — a second yellow shown for her takedown of Nagasato — then changed the game for the better for Racing.
On the ensuing set piece, McCaskill’s free kick in the box wasn’t cleared, and Nagasato tapped in. Six minutes later, Milliet crossed to McCaskill at the back post for a one-touch finisher.
Both were marking their first goals in lavender after, last fall, the Red Stars traded McCaskill and Nagasato to Racing in exchange for full protection in the 2020 expansion draft. The move made the duo Louisville’s beloved first players — but also forced them to move from a club where they had excelled and made home.
Further showing Racing’s growth, goalkeeper Michelle Betos was called in to make only three saves, a season-low for a goalkeeper who entered Saturday with 40 of them in the club’s previous six games.
“I think that was the first time that we really put together a 90 minutes,” McCaskill said. “I think we did a really good job of controlling when we needed to keep the ball and when we needed to clear our lines and get up and get compact as a team. Obviously we’re not going to have possession all 90 minutes, but I think we did a good job of managing when we weren’t in control of the game and making sure we cleared our lines and didn’t concede from those 10-15 minutes in a game.
“So overall I think that’s the best complete team performance we’ve put together so far.”
Racing now gets a full week to rest and recover before hosting Portland Thorns FC at 7:30 p.m. July 3 at Lynn Family Stadium.
Game Summary Chicago Red Stars vs. Racing Louisville FC
Venue: SeatGeek Stadium
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m.
Weather: 75, mostly cloudy with storms
Player of the Match: Savannah McCaskill
Scoring
Chicago Red Stars ( 0, 0, 0)
Racing Louisville FC ( 1, 2, 3)
Goals
Racing Louisville FC:
38’ Ebony Salmon (assisted by Cece Kizer)
56’ Yuki Nagasato
62’ Savannah McCaskill (assisted by Lauren Milliet)
Stats Summary: Chicago Red Stars / Racing Louisville FC
Shots: 17 / 11
Shots on Goal: 3 / 5
Fouls: 9 / 11
Offside: 1 / 3
Corner Kicks: 8 / 2
Saves: 2 / 3
Lineups
Chicago Red Stars: 1 – Alyssa Naeher, 3 – Arin Wright (66’ 28 – Kayla Sharples), 6 – Casey Krueger, 26 – Tierna Davidson, 11 – Sarah Gorden, 10 – Vanessa DiBernardo (75’ 7 – Nikki Stanton), 13 – Morgan Gautrat (76’ 15 – Makenzy Doniak), (73’ , 24 – Danielle Colaprico, 2 – Kealia Watt (76’ 19 – Sarah Leubbert), 5 – Rachel Hill (60’ 33 – Katlyn Johnson), 9 – Mallory Pugh
Subs not used: 38 – Cassie Miller, 18 – Ella Stevens, 4 – Alyssa Mautz
Racing Louisville FC: 1 – Michelle Betos, 14 – Nealy Martin, 11 – Emily Fox, 3 – Erin Simon (76’ 16 – Julia Ashley), 4 – Gemma Bonner (76’ 26 – Addisyn Merrick), 2 – Lauren Milliet (64’ 13 – Emina Ekic), 17 – Yuki Nagasato, 8 – Freja Olofsson, 9 – Ebony Salmon (73’ 12 – Sinclaire Miramontez), 7 – Savannah McCaskill, 5 – Cece Kizer
Subs not used: 18 – Kaleigh Riehl, 33 – Jorian Baucom, 20 – Cheyna Matthews, 22 – Katie McClure, 23 – Katie Lund
Discipline Summary
Chicago Red Stars: Danielle Colaprico (yellow) 10’, Colaprico (second yellow) 55’
Racing Louisville FC: Yuki Nagasato (yellow) 29’
Referee: Greg Dopka
Assistant Referees: Melissa Beck, Rachel Smith
Fourth Official: Katherine McCormick
